Keeping Promises
by Danny vs A Month
Summary: Kirito feels guilty about not keeping his promise to Sachi. The Gamemaster decides there aren't enough players left and writes in a new program to revive them even months after their death. Even years after. Kirito jumps on the chance. Sorry about the randomness but I didn't like them killing off Sachi. Also sorry about...well...you'll see. Unsure about pairings.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters. This is somewhere between the point when Kirito and Godfree were poisoned by Kuradeel and Kirito and Asuna's honeymoon. This story will take a chapter or two before I explain specifics.

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Ray of Hope

Kirito stepped out of the town and looked up. It wasn't a conscious decision, more just a simple act of instinct. Of course, the moment he did, he couldn't look away. And soon he was joined by others. The sky was beginning to turn red, as it had in the Town of Beginnings. There was about to be an announcement.

Sure enough, the entire sky soon turned red and the various animals and monsters in the area froze. Then, blood began to leak from between the announcement alerts. It again formed Kayaba, the figure floating over them but making no sound.

"You'd think he'd speak up given how much he loved the sound of his own voice last time," a player nearby snorted.

Kirito snickered and Kayaba's head turned to them.

"Hello again my fellow Gamers," Kayaba finally spoke. "It has come to my attention that there seem to be more dead than alive. It seems that roughly eight thousand three hundred have died. I have decided to give a chance to correct this mistake. However, this will be a limited offer. I have written in a new item called Yggdrasil's Favor. It is a crystal filled with the sap of the Tree of Life. Yggdrasil's favor allows you to return life to those who have died in Sword Art Online. However, I should not have to point out that the bodies themselves died as well. This means that only a body that could, in theory survive can be reanimated. As well as that, the corpse must be wearing their NerveGear."

"I thought when we died the NerveGear fried our brain with microwaves when we died," one of the players pointed out.

"Not literally," Kayaba replied. "In reality, they only use enough to force the brain to shut down. If the NerveGear sent a second pulse, the brain would restart, but the body must also have its heart restarted at the same time."

"A defibrillator?" a female player questioned.

"Wouldn't the charge damage the NerveGear?" a male beside her spoke up.

"NerveGears are non conductive to anything except their own pulses and the frequency in your brain," Kirito stated. "AEDs, defibrillators, use a massive charge but the wrong frequency to mess with the NerveGear. The problem is that unless you have a time machine with your Yggdrasil's Favor, no one already dead yet can be revived."

"A fair point," Kayaba agreed. "However, I have added an item to each of your inventories that will allow you to communicate with the outside world through emails by using gamer tags."

"How?" a male gamer questioned.

"Didn't you enter your email and that of one family member when you signed up?" Kayaba questioned.

Everyone fell silent looking around before Kayaba began again.

"Now, for the items to take root, the system will need to reboot," Kayaba stated as the announcement alerts began to turn black. "Oh, and each Yggdrasil's Favor is guarded by a special creature. Good luck."

"Hold on, what happens when we use them?" Kirito shouted. "There's no way the guy that designed a death game would just create a way to revive the dead without a negative effect."

"You're right," Kayaba nodded. "However, you will see when you get one, or should I say if? However, they are limited because there is a limited number and they will disappear forever after one use."

Then, the sky turned black and a moment later, Kirito woke up in an inn in the Town of Beginnings. He could see Asuna in the next bed and beyond her was Klein.

"You guys okay?" Kirito questioned.

"Yeah," Klein nodded sitting up. "Wonder what the creature is."

"I'm going after one," Kirito stated. "I have a promise to keep. However, It's probably too late."

"I want a Yggdrasil's Favor," Klein stated.

"What difference does it make?" Asuna questioned. "We can't revive someone unless the timing is perfect and someone has the sense to turn on their NerveGear, preserved their body ahead of time, and uses a defibrillator at the exact time that you use the Yggdrasil's Favor."

"I know," Kirito nodded typing away at a message and sending it. "I'm checking and prepping. Now, where are they?"

He pulled up a map and the others did the same, all scanning before stopping and sharing a knowing and worried look.

"Found one," they all stated.

They compared maps, seeing the same one and headed out. The one they were heading for was dead center of their level and was being closed in on by just about seventy players of high levels and a host of different guilds. The three of them sprinted as fast as they could, taking advantage of no in-game pain until they slid to a stop, seeing the creature. It was battling a pair of players in heavy armor that likely gave them near-max endurance but clearly slowed them a lot. They also both made the mistake of wielding greatswords that would remove speed and were hard to swing. As a result, they weren't coming anywhere near putting a scratch on the creature that had six full health bars. It, however, was easily zipping around slashing them and proving that full endurance was worthless as they rapidly dropped to zero health and their avatars exploded.

The creature turned toward them, a three dimensional shadow with arms shaped like wide katana blades, legs that were bent more like a dog's with a massive spike jutting up from the back joint, a tail that ended in two prongs, and a pair of horns two feet long making it look like a demon's shadow. Kirito pulled up his menu and switched to dual wielding with his two signature swords then traded his usual jacket for another that increased his speed greatly along with speed shoes, and the rest endurance items. The result was that his speed was maxed, his endurance was a bit higher than usual, but his attack power and total HP were lower than usual. The shadow seemed to sense a challenger because it began walking forward at a normal speed but sliding forward at a normal sprint.

"Get clear," Kirito instructed drawing his swords. "I'll kill it."

"Why?" Asuna questioned. "Is this all for Sachi?"

"I promised I would see her out of this game alive," Kirito stated. "And I pray I can."

And with that, he charged the shadow.

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	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.

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Duel

Kirito sprinted forward, slashing with his Dark Repulser but the creature blocked the blade with its right arm, swinging its left horizontally at Kirito. Kirito bent backward under it as he got beside the creature and suddenly its tail flipped up over Kirito and drove itself downward. Kirito got his Elucidator into the way, the edge of his blade catching between the prongs on the tail and delaying it long Enough for Kirito to spin, getting out from under it and standing before Kirito continued his spin, slashing his Dark Repulser at the creature's back.

It leapt into the air over the blade and spun, right foot slamming into his head and launching him away. As he crashed down, he dropped his Dark Repulser, bouncing and rolling to a stop as the creature strode forward, kicking the Dark Repulser and sending it spinning into a tree where it embedded itself, staying. Kirito opened his inventory as the creature blurred forward, driving a sword at him. He blocked the stab with his Elucidator as his Anneal Blade appeared on his shoulder and he drew it. He slashed at the shadow and it leapt back, barely clearing the slash. Kirito sprinted forward and began slashing at the shadow rapidly, the shadow expertly blocking every slash before driving its tail at Kirito. He dove aside, the tail scratching his arm before he stood, spinning and blocking the tail again with his Anneal Blade before removing it with his Elucidator. The Shadow shrieked in rage as its tail disintegrated and both of the shadow's blades descended at Kirito. He blocked the attack with his Elucidator then slashed with his other sword, the shadow jumping back but not before Kirito managed to carve a red gash into its stomach.

"Its endurance is low," Kirito noted. "Except its weapons. Interesting. Alright then. Let's go!"

He sprinted forward, spinning and slashed at the shadow with both sword, knocking its blocking blade aside before stepping forward and slashing with his Elucidator. It blocked it then brought a foot up, kicking at Kirito and blasting him away. Kirito landed on his feet and glanced at his health bar, seeing that the kick, along with the last one, had dropped his health to red already.

"Shit he's strong," Kirito growled. "Alright. Then it's time to end this."

He sprinted forward, blocking a slash with his Anneal Blade before both his blades began to glow blue and he stepped forward, sword slashing around in the usual flurry of Starburst Stream. Finally Kirito slashed at the shadow's right with his Elucidator and it moved to block it, as it had fifty percent of the slashes before, but this time its arm was cut in half and the Elucidator carved through it before Kirito moved to drive his Anneal Blade through the shadow's chest. As he moved, the shadow's other arm blurred toward Kirito.

At the last second, Asuna's blade redirected the blade into the ground and Kirito impaled the shadow. Everyone froze, the shadow's last health bar dropping quickly. Finally it stopped, just short of death and the shadow's sword flashed into the air just before Kirito's sword tore its way upward out of the shadow, killing it. The shadow exploded into data and the word "Congratulations" appeared over them. Kirito sighed and put his Anneal Blade away and retrieved his Dark Repulser. Just as he got it, he also received a message. He opened it and smiled.

"Kirito, thank you for letting us know. As it happens, our family was chosen to test a prototype stasis method. It succeeded. Sachi's body is in the same condition as it was when she died. We have charged her NerveGear and are ready to bring her back when you say."

Kirito smiled and went to her inventory, searching through it and quickly finding the Yggdrassil's Favor. He selected it and read through the description. If used, the NerveGear of the target would send a second pulse, restarting their brain and reviving their avatar, allowing them to possibly survive after all. The two downsides, aside from having to time the use with a defibrillator shock, was that whether the item succeeded or failed, it would be destroyed permanently and the player who used it would be instantly stripped of all items and level, being set back to level one with default weapons but with all unlocked skills, as would the character that was revived.

"So that's the downside," Kirito sighed opening a message but noticing a video button.

He pushed it and a video box opened. A moment later, a woman appeared and had clearly been crying.

"Hello?" the woman asked. "Wait, are you Kirito?"

"Yes," Kirito nodded. "You're Sachi's mother."

She nodded even though it wasn't a question. She looked just like Sachi except older.

"I have the item," Kirito stated. "Unfortunately the character has to be selected from the casualties list. It may take me a while to find her."

"Alright," she nodded. "We'll wait. Please hurry."

"I'll try," Kirito promised and the video ended, the menu closing as Kirito turned back to Asuna. "We need to get back to a hotel. It'll take at least a day to find her name if I'm lucky."

Asuna and Klein nodded and they all left, heading back to the town and then the hotel.

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	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.

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Preparations

Five days. Kirito had been searching for five days. The main problem was that the Casualties list wasn't in any real order and so he had to scroll through each name individually. Then, every time another player was killed, the list would reset and he'd get sent back to the first page. The second day he had been searching, he had found her name but before he could select it, the list refreshed. In those five days, Kirito had only stopped to go to the bathroom and had barely ate or drank anything.

"Kirito?" Asuna spoke up, stepping into the room.

"Yeah?" Kirito asked not taking his eyes off the list.

"Why are you so determined to bring her back?" Asuna asked, sounding hurt. "What is she to you?"

"She's...I don't...really know," Kirito sighed, looking away from the list and letting it close as it refreshed again. "When she died, I would have said that she was the most important person in the world to me. But...But now, I just, feel guilty that I let her down. I promised her that she would live but I let her die. I couldn't save her. But now I have a way to save her life. Just for the sake of one more human surviving, why shouldn't I do it? But I know you're just worried I still care about her. And I do. But I'm not going to leave you for her. Nothing in this world or real life could make me stop caring about you or matter more to me. I promise."

Asuna smiled and nodded then thought for a moment.

"Let me have the stuff you want to wield when you are leveling up again," Asuna suggested. "That way I can give it back once you bring her back."

"Good idea," Kirito nodded.

He opened his inventory and sent her his Elucidator but hesitated to give her his Dark Repulser. After a moment, he gave her both that one and his Anneal Blade along with his coat, equipping his older one instead. He gave her the rest of his usual equipment as well then brought up the casualties list again.

"Here we go again," He sighed.

He began to scroll through it, sighing after a few minutes. After an hour, he stopped. There she was. He reached forward but just as his finger was within a fraction of an inch of the screen, it went blank. Then, names reappeared and hers was nowhere in sight. He growled in frustration but began again. After another three hours, he stopped for the night, laying in bed beside Asuna.

"You'll get it," Asuna assured him. "You just have to have patience. Soon, it'll be the first name on the list and you'll save her."

Kirito smiled and nodded. When he woke up, he went to the bathroom, had some of the breakfast Asuna had cooked, seeming in a much better mood, then went back to his room and called up the casualties list. There she was. First name on the list. He stared in shock for several seconds before hastily selecting it. A text box appeared asking if he wanted to confirm his selection. He selected yes and the screen disappeared, a hologram of Sachi appearing before him with its arms out to its sides, spinning slowly. Her stats were displayed over her left shoulder, eternally frozen at a level that hadn't been nearly enough for the floor it listed her death on.

"Sachi," Kirito breathed before calling up his email and calling for a video message.

They answered instantly, Sachi's mother appearing in front of the camera. Behind her, Sachi sat on a bed with a man in white clothes with a defibrillator sitting beside him.

"I found it," Kirito stated. "I'll have to select the item then select 'Use'. It says that it will give a ten second countdown before actually being used. However, there may be a delay in the message, turn the sound up so I can hear my own voice."

She did, and put the microphone next to the speaker and Kirito counted seconds for ten seconds. There was a two second delay.

"Damn," Kirito sighed. "Alright, I'll count the seconds off as they count down, the moment you hear 'eight ', zap her."

"Okay," Sachi's mother nodded. "I'll put her NerveGear on and turn it on."

She walked over, slipping the helmet onto Sachi's head and turning it on. After a moment, she walked back over to the computer, picking it up and carrying it back to the bed. She showed Kirito the lights of the helmet and he confirmed that it was waiting for the brain to do something. Sachi's mother set the computer down and turned the sound all the way up.

"Ready?" Kirito asked selecting the Yggdrasil's Favor and his finger hovered over the 'Use Item' button.

"Ready," the doctor nodded, now sitting in front of the camera, the defibrillator completely charged and waiting to be used. "One chance right?"

"Right," Kirito nodded pushing the button. A timer appeared and Kirito began to count.

On the video, he heard his voice counting down two seconds late but just as he said ten, the item, which was a glowing blue vial now floating in front of him, flashed and vanished at the same time as the doctor shocked Sachi. Everyone sat in silence, nothing happening, before a Heart monitor on the video beeped and they all sighed in relief before Sachi's mother and father both burst into tears, clinging to each other.

"Thank God," Kirito sighed. "Alright, now she should-"

He was cut off as light enveloped him. When it cleared, he was wearing base everything, had an empty inventory, and Sachi was sitting on the bed opposite him, also wearing base everything but looking much more confused than him.

"I'm...alive?" Sachi breathed looking at her hands.

"It worked," Kirito breathed before darting over and pulling her into a hug. "I missed you so much. Thank God it worked."

"How am I alive?" Sachi asked.

"The Game Master decided to make a way for everyone to be returned to life," Kirito explained. "It's been almost two years since the game started. There aren't many people left. Thank God you're back."

"Does this mean I can leave if the game's cleared?" Sachi asked. "What about my body?"

"It's functioning again," Kirito smiled. "Your parents and I worked it out. Say hi guys."

He stepped aside and Sachi gasped as she saw her family on the video chat screen that Kirito hadn't bothered to close.

"Mom, Dad!" Sachi exclaimed, beginning to cry. "Is...is it true?"

"It's true," her mother smiled, also crying. "You can come home now."

Sachi threw her arms around Kirito again then he stood and told the parents to wait a second. Then, he closed the video and sent the item to Sachi. Then, he left her to talk with them alone, promising to explain everything that had happened when she was done.

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